Rashtriya Netra Yagna

Rashtriya Netra Yagna is an enduring focus project of the Vision Foundation of India (VFI) for reducing avoidable blindness. The goal set out is massive but the statistics of blindness is even more so; in fact it is overwhelming. For each person going blind the impact is enormous. Poverty and blindness is a terrifying combination. Loss of sight most often results in social exclusion, making blind people vulnerable to abuse, destitution and early death.

How will the Rashtriya Netra Yagna carry out this momentous task? An individual eye surgeon can perform a few hundred to a few thousand free eye surgeries in a year. A team at an eye hospital can perform several thousand free eye surgeries in a year. Various teams across hospitals all over the country and forming a ‘Mega Team’ in unison as it were, can perform a few lakh surgeries. VFI’s model can reduce avoidable blindness in India relatively rapidly, depending on the financial resources available. No amount would be too small to be donated, and every Rupee would count towards the Rs. 40 crores that is required for Phase 1 in fulfilling this critical nation changing initiative.

There are many charitable eye hospitals in India conducting camps and performing surgeries free of charge. Many of them are underutilized because of various reasons. VFI associates with them as per specific selection criteria and financially supports these activities under Rashtriya Netra Yagna.

The benefits that accrue are tremendous:

Major causes of blindness like Cataract, Glaucoma, Diabetic Retinopathy, Retinal Laser, Yag Laser, Corneal Diseases, and Childhood Blindness are included in this model.

VFI can support large number of surgeries in a relatively shorter period of time.

These charitable hospitals will be optimally utilized, thus subsuming the existing infrastructure.

The infrastructure cost is practically zero and administrative cost is minimum

Depending on need, focus on specific geographical area can be carried out. This focus can change from time to time, if required.

This model is independent of one or few eye surgeons. All the medical and paramedical personnel involved all over the country automatically become team members.

NFI indirectly can help in creating more jobs for the people under the Rashtriya Netra Yagna.

This is the fastest and easiest way to reach remote and tribal areas to make a great impact not only medically but also socio-economically.

VISION FOUNDATION OF INDIA is a non-profit, non-government charitable organization (NGO). It is a cornerstone organization conceptualized and founded in 1993 by the renowned eye surgeon Dr. Kulin Kothari, with a fervent desire to reduce blindness and treat eye diseases for the marginalized sections of society. The quality if eye care and medical technology available today, though increasing, is still beyond the reach of most afflicted people in the county. The Vision Foundation of India empowers the lives of such people by giving them eye care free of cost. The Trustees of VFI believe that lack of money should never be the reason to have compromised vision.

In the last few years the Vision Foundation of India has broken new ground in terms of the sheer number of individuals and the territories it has impacted. Tireless efforts by the Foundation have impacted the lives of people in the country. Vision Foundation of India believes that their fight against eye disease and blindness is not just for the present, but an undying crusade.

Transforming lives under Rashtriya Netra Yagna

In Phase I:

Period April 2015 to March 2020 the estimated numbers of beneficiaries 2,13,600 @ estimated cost of Rs. 40 crores

In Phase II:

Period April 2020 to March 2023 the estimated numbers of beneficiaries 3,68,600 @ estimated cost of Rs. 114 crores

In Phase III:

Period April 2023 to March 2026 the estimated numbers of beneficiaries 5,17,800 @ estimated cost of Rs. 218 crores

In the three phases above the total numbers of beneficiaries are estimated to be 11,00,000; over a million people and estimated project cost is Rs. 372 Crores.